Last post Sun, Aug 31 2008 10:27 PM by DSB. 11 replies.
I moved to a bigger city thinking the transit system would be superior but it is horrible! As part of my internship I'm researching the transit system and I began to wonder how many of you use mass transit as your main form of transportation? How effective is it it? and what city (if you feel comfortable sharing this)?
Awesome! Happy to hear that you are researching the Transit System for I have heard of many issues with it. Personally, I live in a rural area now so my "issues" with mass transit are outdated and will not help the current conditions. I hope that you obtain plenty of info. though and a viable solution can be found to fix what is in need of fixing. Thank you for making the world a better place, BeautifulDisaster!
Bless you,
Ms. Jessie
Do you include the paratransit system in this category? Ours in Omaha, NE is pretty poor.
To answer your question I use mass transit in Seattle while there seems to be plenty pf stooping buses the train leaves much to be desired. For one only one car on the train is accessable andthen the rule is you must remain with your chair which in my case since I have limited mobility is a Segway means I get a tiny jump seat and no windows. The station and I go from mine to the main one in Seattle has two accessable routes per code I know I worked for the architecture firm that designed it. One however at ground level is always blocked by trains which then require a one block trip to an elevator up then across a sky bridge and back down to street level. All total I go one square block around the direction I need to go so friends go one direction and I have to circle around one full block and be on my way.
So really keep in mind accessability and conveience are not the same thing in most cases assessability is there but it is a matter of having to go out of your way to find it even if all of it meets code and all of these transit stations do I've one option in life their way or no way so really the quality is still not there/ As a matter of fact even now days one has to stair down a bicycle rider that will cut you off to an elevator, or a curb ramp they think since they bicycle all of it is there for them.
So I try and serve as a resource now to the architects that I work with every day but even then since I am not an architect my suggestions for improving the quality of access may not always meed the design but the design does meet the code.
I used public transit exclusviely when I lived in Philadelphia.
It works pretty well within city limits, sometimes harder to get to outskirts, could get to suburbs but sometimes buses/trains were infrequent or didn't run late on weekends. In center city many buses stop every block, very convenient.
I took regular buses/trains and made note of accessible features but didn't use them myself. The buses are all accessible, some of the subway stops are and some are not. One of the commuter trains is accessible in one direction but not the other! They are actively working on this though.
I miss Philly. . . I miss many things about it but the not driving most of all!
Today while researching the transit system I ran across the holy grail of my project
TRANSPORTATION RIGHTS!
For those of your who use paratransit in your city it would be VERY VERY beneficial for you to check out this link.
http://66.113.175.97/programs/transportationrights/info_paratransit.php
For those of your who want to know more about your rights concerning different forms of transportation click below.
http://66.113.175.97/programs/transportationrights/
As a result of the information I found on this site I realized the local paratransit is in violation of the standards of service set down by the ADA and therefore breaking the law. Me and the advoccacy organization I work for are now working on gathering evidence of their violation and organizing the disabled and elderly community to make it's stand.
Inform your selves thoroughly on the services you use and your rights as a consumer. Many larg entities (ie. tansit system) are never challeged because consumers don't know their rights. They count on the consumer to be ignorant, surprise them! Knowledge is power!
hi, my name is Ribyn I'm a rbk amputee of almost 7 years,..I get along PRETTY DARN GOOD but as all other Amputee know, this snow and cold can really do a number on how well we get around with our prosthesises (sp). I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan and I swear we have the rudest bus drivers!!!!I will be getting on a bus and be wearing something that shows my disability and the bus will take off before I am seated, i just grab the closest handle bar and stand there...last week we were having a near blizzard (white out conditions and I had to take the bus to an appt.. I got off the bus and as I stepped off the last step, I slipped and feel to my hands and knees on some icey snow, I had a difficult time getting up and the bus JUST DROVE AWAY...even though one of the passenger on that very same bus was a friend and I could hear him yell at the driver to stop...it continued to leave...I called our transit system and reported the driver and all I was told was that they "have schedules to keep"....
hi doublelibra..you think your transit system sucks!!!? Mine does too, BIG TIME...we, here in Grand Rapids, MIchigan have the rudest transit drivers...ever! would you take a minute and read about what I posted about my most recent experience...I don't think I signed my name but my city and state is listed in the post...take care...xoxo -robyn kae
I live in santa clara,ca my 4 year old son is in a wheelchair we use bart transit.this is the only way we get any where.the only problem i have, is with some of the driver's .some of them won't put the restrains on my son's chair untill i say something.i got a couple that won't even get out of the chair.of cource i say something but this is getting old fast.i called the transit they told me it's the driver's job to make sure everything's secure. i also have a 2 year old in a wheelchair both have c.p
I want to complain about the driver's but my husband's afraid they won't let me on the bus since this is the only transporttaion we have.this is untill are buisness takes off but that won't be a while.
Help i need advise if i complain about the driver's can they really not let me on the bus
I live in a smaller city (Springfield, Ohio), and use the public trans to get around during the week. Our buses only run from Monday through Friday, 5:40 A.M. to 5:40 P.M., no weekends, no national holidays. The routes are run oinly once per hour. If you're not on that last bus from downtown by 5:40 P.M., you're not getting home by bus, and it usually takes two buses to get to your destination because of the locations on the routes. On the plus side, every bus in the fleet has a wheelchair lift, and they are fully operational about 99% of the time. If the one on your route is not, they will arrange it at the bus center so that the next one coming out will be. (Of course, by then, you're usually late for any appointment, but still, they try) I'm still awaiting approval for paratransit, and I'm told that they keep the same operating hours as the regular city buses, which means I am still stuck at home on weekends unless friends are willing to drive me (I have a permanent volunteer that takes me to church every Sunday). Based on the above link on paratransit regs, the paratransit here charges more than they are supposed to ($3.00 a pop, when the regular route is 75 cents). Not sure how they will be about accurate pickup and dropoff times, but I will let you know once I've had the pleasure of finding out.
My biggest problem with using public transit here is the limited hours of operation. Most of our community events occur during weekends, and are completely inaccessible to me by public trans. Evening events and appointments are also inaccessible by the bus system. And, since Springfield's ONLY cab service recently went out of business, this means I'm usually stuck at home in the evenings. Curiously, Springfield does have a substantial population of disabled veterans and such, so you would think we'd have a little better accomodation for our own.
hugs from ducky
I will bring up my pet issues is that meeting ADA code requirements does not man it is usable or Easley dealt with.Case in point I use a train to commute there is one ramp up and into the train and by code two ground accessible crossing points and one elevator up ramp across the tracks and back down by way of a second elevator back down that is located a full 2 blocks away from that said ramp into and out of the train I have. The two ground level crossing levels are unusable because of arriving and departing trains or trains sitting on the tracks and from a safety issue not very wise form both transit trains or Amtrak that use those tracks.Another issues are bike riders they are supposed to walk their bikes on that said platform but often cut me off or others to beat us to elevators we are forced to take 2 blocks from where we get off. So you see the station meets requirements as far as code requirements go but I am forced to go two blocks out of my way put up with rude bike riders thinking the elevator is for them and their lone bike because they got there first.Lesson learned is code requirements can be met but usability matters are another story not addressed fully.
